How To Experiment With Stance On A Snowboard

Fix the bad habits that prevent you from progressing on a snowboard by experimenting with your stance. It'll not only improve your snowboarding skills, but will also improve your style.

Need more tips on adjusting your snowboard? Check out our top tips on Setting Up Your Board.

Bad Habits On A Snowboard

Many snowboarders have bad habits that ultimately prevent them from progressing and becoming more awesome on the mountain. There are three common mistakes that are a serious barrier to insane shred progression, and they are:

1. Bending at the waist and back.
2. Too much weight on either one of their feet.
3. Frozen riding position.

 
Don't ride like this. It doesn't work, looks weird and you'll ruin your back.

Bad Habit 1) Bending At The Waist & Back

If you bend at the waist and the back, you move your weight outside of the centre of your board. This is a problem if you hit different surfaces and features on the mountain - for example icy slopes, boxes, rails and jumps. If you try to ride while in this position and experience that you get out of balance and/or your board slips out underneath you, it's likely that your upper body isn’t aligned correctly.

Don't ride with your weight too far to one side. Even it out baby.

The correct way to position your upper body is to keep your back straight and bend in the knees and hips. Checkout the video above to see how you can improve your stance!

Bad Habit 2) Too Much Weight On Either Foot, Instead Of Both

Riding different terrain requires different stance. Therefore having too much weight on either one of the feet is a problem as it will limit your ability to adapt. For example, if you have to much weight on your front foot and move into powder (where you need more weight on your back foot) you will have trouble adapting. 

Don't ride like a statue, stay fluid and stay stylish.

Moving into buttering, jibbing and jumping you need to be able to switch up your weight, as you want more stability and style – therefore it's vitally important to work on a balanced stance with equal weight on both feet. In the video above several fun and challenging exercises are introduced that will make you a better rider.

Bad Habit 3) Frozen Riding Position

When you have a frozen riding position on a snowboard you're not able to move around, shift your weight and adapt to changing slope conditions. You might be able to make due while riding on groomers, but if the surface change to slush or ice you'll get into trouble. Furthermore if you want to progress to riding powder and park you need to be able to switch up your balance and stance.

Stiff is good sometimes, but not for snowboarding.

The video above shows you how to move around on your snowboard to test, challenge and improve your balance and stance.

To Conclude

It's very important that you ride with your weight over the centre of your board bending at the knees and hips, not bending in the waist and in the back! Force yourself to move around on the board and experiment with your stance as finding the right stance will improve your balance and overall abilities as a rider. If you want to watch the full length video plus even more sign up to our Snowboard Tutorial Membership.

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